Latest news with #AfroCaribbean
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Southampton youths' anti-social behaviour terrorises businesses
"Coming to work now is really scary for me," says Nnenna Okonkwo as tears roll down her is one of the many business owners and residents swept up by the rising tide of anti-social behaviour caused by teens and young people in an area of Southampton, ranging from criminal damage and assault to vaping and smoking in shops have been regularly posted in local groups on social media since March. Though police say they are dealing with the offenders "robustly" and "proportionately" the accounts from those affected highlight that some of the youngsters lack respect for authority. Ms Okonkwo recalls the young people who targeted her business telling her "the police can't do anything, they won't help you". Her current feelings are in sharp contrast to the "excitement" she felt when opening her international food store on Shirley High Street last was her opportunity to proudly share Afro-Caribbean culture with the local community and she remembers the "sense of achievement" it gave changed in May when she stepped in to stop two teenagers from "harassing" an elderly customer just outside the store."This shouldn't be happening on my watch," she intervening the teens quickly turned their attention to Ms Okonkwo and began abusing her. "I think that's when I realised I had a real issue," she teens returned at a later date, when the store was closing, and Ms Okonkwo says a young girl kicked and smashed the window of the shop."I'm still really shaken about it," she her eyes she adds: "It's ridiculous, it's just a couple of teenagers causing this mayhem." Next door, Naani Shaik shares how he first experienced trouble at the start of asked a "gang" of about 15 children to leave the Subway store he has managed for five years, after they began "drinking and smoking inside"."They started bullying, started breaking things here, breaking the equipment and they smashed the door," he says, admitting this sort of behaviour is a daily occurrence that is "making every day hell".Mr Shaik points to the shelves of cookies that are now protected behind by glass box after an occasion when a young person ripped them from the counter and dragged them outside the says he has spent close to £1,000 repairing damage but admits he is struggling more "mentally" than young people have followed him and his staff home, berating them with racially motivated "abusive words" and "filthy language", even abusing his mother, he schools finish, he says staff ensure they lock the door in between customers to try and stop the youths getting he has threatened to call police he says the perpetrators have encouraged him and then also abused officers when they have arrived."Even though we know they are kids, their actions are not like kids," Mr Shaik says. PC Tom Byrne, from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has been the local police officer for Shirley since February and he says he tries to patrol the High Street at least once a emphasises it is mainly "two or three main repeat offenders" aged between 12 and says "arresting a child is not the first port of call we want to take".Adding that when they do arrest them the majority of their parents are supportive and they do get "a good outcome"."I've been a neighbourhoods police officer for two years and worked with many young people across the city and it tends to be this kind of group mentality, that when they're in a group they try to impress their friends and a lot of it is boredom," PC Byrne Christie Lambert, cabinet member for communities and safer city at Southampton City Council, said it is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and was "saddened" to hear about the recent incidents in Shirley High Street. "We understand that a variety of circumstances can lead young individuals to engage in such behaviours, so we are incredibly grateful for our youth justice team and community partners who are tirelessly working with these young people, providing crucial support and guidance to help them make better choices," she says. 'It's not just Southampton' Tony Weafer has lived in the area since 2008 and regularly posts about the incidents on his Shirley and Freemantle Watch Community Forum on says: "These children were not born like this, where is this anger coming from?"How did they get to this stage to be happy to break windows, damage doors and create havoc?"He believes social services, parents and schools need to speak with children and address why this is happening."Where are we going in this country? It's not just happening in Southampton, it's all over the place this sort of attitude - 'we are in charge, we don't care about authority, we do what we want' - and that cannot be the way that we are going in this country, it's not right." Stu Garrod is a youth support worker for the local charity, Youth Options, which offers a range of services from youth clubs and social events to counselling and careers thinks having more youth services available would help reduce the rise in anti-social behaviour among young says he went to youth centres a lot when he was growing up and had a very supportive youth worker."I just wanted to be that person that I had as a kid," he from their weekly social session for seven to 12-year-olds in Millbrook, he says: "We always have a service for them to engage with if they want to."Back at the international food store Ms Okonkwo agrees that more clubs that get youths off the streets could help but believes they need to be something that the young people are genuinely interested in."I really wish that they would change their behaviour and get useful to the community that they live in - and not be a terror to the place where they live," she says. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 'Top Chef Canada' star opened his new Afro-Caribbean restaurant in the Fairfax District last week
The 'Top Chef Canada' star opened his new Afro-Caribbean restaurant in the Fairfax District last week originally appeared on L.A. Mag. Jamaican-Canadian chef Adrian Forte was originally on the college football track. However, when injury struck, the food lover — whose maternal and paternal grandmothers ran a restaurant in his hometown of Kingston — decided to attend Toronto's Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts at George Brown College. After graduating in 2011, Forte opened some of Toronto's buzziest burger joints and served as a culinary producer for Iron Chef before becoming the first Black contestant on Food Network Canada's Top Chef. He placed as a semifinalist in Season 8, then followed it up with television appearances, brand partnerships and a cookbook, Yawd (Random House, 2022) — featuring over 100 modern Afro-Caribbean recipes. On account of his ties in the entertainment industry, Forte worked as a private chef for friends including Drake, Alicia Keys and the late Virgil Abloh (who wrote the foreword for Yawd) — and served as the Culinary Director for Turks & Caicos' Emara Estate, the luxury private resort formerly owned by Prince. Upon moving to L.A., he noticed a lack of Afro-Caribbean restaurants on the West Coast, so he teamed with founder/owner Sam Jordan (formerly of Olivetta and Issima) to open Lucia ( in the Fairfax District. Lucia (meaning 'light") made its debut on May 28, and brings the bold flavors and rich culture of the Caribbean Island to L.A. through dishes like plantains, coconut fried chicken and jerked ribeye steak — paired with cocktails employing similar island-grown ingredients and spices and Caribbean rums. Here are the spots where Forte's found big flavors in Los Angeles. Curry PuffsCobi's [Ordering] the curry puffs here is nonnegotiable! Light, flaky, buttery wrappers encase a potato filling that's rich with umami. There's a beautiful depth of flavor lifted by the tamarind ketchup, which adds just the right touch of sweetness and tang to balance it all out. It's the kind of bite that makes you pause mid-conversation.$14, 2104 Main St., Santa Monica, Fish CongeeLittle Fish Everyone talks about the fried fish sandwich, and it's great, but the breakfast menu? That's the real gem. I go for the whitefish congee — it's silky, savory and perfectly seasoned, topped with pickled mushrooms and a marinated soy egg with the dreamiest jammy center. Their crispy nori potatoes ($9) don't get enough love, but they're the sleeper hit, especially alongside the grilled shrimp sausage breakfast sandwich ($12). Honestly, the whole menu slaps. Zero misses.$16, 1606 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, Catalana RisottoMuse My wife booked this spot for us recently, and it blew me away. It's got that perfect low-key, intimate energy that makes it ideal for date night. The chef-owner makes the rounds, chatting with every table, which brings a personal touch that's rare. We ordered the full menu but the prawn risotto was the standout. Luxurious, packed with flavor, and topped with a delicate prawn tartare. They even brought out the fresh prawn heads and offered to fry them up with a vibrant herb pistou — two knockout dishes from one pristine ingredient. It's thoughtful cooking, through and through.$90, 108 W. Channel Road, Santa Monica, This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Bad Bunny sends fans into meltdown with X-rated mirror selfie
Bad Bunny left very little to the imagination in a new selfie that quickly exploded on social media. The 31-year-old pop star snapped a mirror selfie on Friday while wearing only a pair of white briefs. He included the racy snap in a carousel of photos shared to his page with the simple caption, 'Fotos.' In the picture, Bad Bunny can be seen standing almost naked in front of a full-length mirror, showing off his numerous tattoos and gym-toned physique in a pair of white Calvin Klein briefs. Other images Bad Bunny included in his photo dump included him prepping for the 2025 Met Gala earlier this month. 'You just broke the internet,' remarked one fan, while a viral tweet sharing the picture had more than 100,000 likes on X, formerly known as Twitter. 'Insane,' commented a fan, with another adding: 'I've never been more grateful for the zoom feature on my iPhone'. His recent campaign for the iconic underwear brand was released two months ago and received a ton of buzz, with numerous shots from the photo-shoot also going viral. 'We started planning the look since at least January,' he told Vogue. 'When we found out that it was about Black fashion we got really excited because we felt like we could really connect it to Puerto Rican Afro-Caribbean culture.' Meanwhile, Bad Bunny recently revealed that he had included two Australian dates in the announcement of his Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour. It will mark the first time the Puerto Rican pop star has ever performed Down Under. He will take to Sydney's ENGIE Stadium in Olympic Park on Saturday, February 26 and March 1 next year, in-between dates in Sao Paulo and Barcelona. The three-time Grammy and 11-time Latin Grammy award winner is one of the biggest names in the music industry. He was the most streamed artist on Spotify for three years running between 2020 and 2023 and hasn't left the top five since 2018. Even more impressively, his 2022 album, Un Verano Sin Ti, is the most streamed release ever on Spotify.
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Travel + Leisure
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
Exclusive: Chef Kwame Onwuachi's Newest Restaurant Is a Caribbean Steakhouse in Las Vegas
Chef Kwame Onwuachi has a new restaurant coming to Las Vegas. The chef spoke to Travel + Leisure about restaurant's inspiration, his aspirations for the Vegas dining scene, and how his background (both his upbringing in North Bronx and his Afro-Caribbean roots) continues to shape his approach to food. When Kwame Onwuachi speaks about food, he's not just crafting menus—he's conjuring memory, migration, and resistance. The Top Chef star and James Beard Award recipient is a storyteller who shapes his dishes around history and heritage. Now, Onwuachi is bringing his vision to Las Vegas with Maroon, an Afro-Caribbean steakhouse at Sahara Las Vegas. Onwuachi's vision for the restaurant is to reimagine the classic American steakhouse through the lens of Caribbean cuisine. There will be jerk rubs and dry-aged cuts, live-fire cooking, scotch bonnet-infused sauces, grilled seafood, and vibrant sides rooted in West African, Jamaican, and Creole traditions. It's fine dining grounded in cultural memory. But for Onwuachi, Maroon is more than a restaurant. It's a reclamation of history and culture through the lens of fine dining—and it all starts with nomenclature. The name Maroon is a reference to the Maroons of Jamaica—descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped bondage and created self-sufficient communities in Jamaica's Blue Mountains. "The Maroons didn't just run,' Onwuachi told Travel + Leisure. 'They thrived. They created something new, something powerful, out of pain and resistance. That energy—that story—is what this restaurant is about." 'This isn't just about food,' he added. 'It's about telling the stories that haven't been told. It's about honoring a legacy and recognizing that the food we're putting on these plates has a deeper meaning. It's not just a meal—it's history, it's resilience, and it's a testament to the strength of those who came before us.' Onwuachi is no stranger to building a restaurant that becomes a cultural moment. His New York City flagship, Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, opened at Lincoln Center in late 2022 and quickly became a sensation. (In both 2023 and 2024, it was ranked the No. 1 restaurant in New York City by The New York Times, topping its annual list of the city's 100 best restaurants.) His new Washington, D.C. project, Dōgon, is also earning massive acclaim. That's exactly what he hopes to do in Las Vegas. Maroon will be the signature culinary anchor of Sahara Las Vegas's ongoing evolution—a resort that has quietly but intentionally repositioned itself as a destination for thoughtful luxury. "We were intentional in selecting Kwame Onwuachi as our partner for the next chapter of Sahara Las Vegas' culinary journey,' Sahara owner Alex Meruelo told T+L. 'His incomparable fusion of storytelling, culture, and outstanding cuisine is uniquely captivating. Maroon will not only advance chef Kwame's personal vision but also revolutionize the current steakhouse experience on the Strip and beyond.' Chef Kwame at Tatiana in New York City. Gladimir Gelin In a city with dozens of luxury steakhouses—most modeled on classic American or European dining traditions—Onwuachi's take stands apart. It's not just that the flavors are different; it's that the purpose is different. Maroon is also the first concept on the Strip led by a Black chef-owner, rooted in diasporic cuisine, and designed from the ground up to represent a broader cultural vision. But Onwuachi is quick to note that representation alone isn't the endgame. 'It's not just about being the first,' he said. 'It's about making sure we're not the last. It's about opening the door and then holding it open for others.' This ethos extends beyond the kitchen. At Patty Palace in Queens, Onwuachi sells Miri, a sparkling water brand he founded to support clean water initiatives in Nigeria. A portion of the profits from every bottle sold goes directly toward building wells in underserved communities. 'The goal is always to create something that leaves a positive mark,' he said. 'Whether it's through food or philanthropy, it's about impact.' A portrait of chef Kwame Onwuachi. Scott Suchman As Las Vegas continues to evolve from a playground of extravagance into a city with growing cultural nuance, Maroon feels perfectly timed. Las Vegas has always been a place for big names and big concepts, but the Strip hasn't often been a place where food carries this kind of weight. Maroon is poised to shift that balance. Its arrival is a signal that the dining landscape is shifting toward something more inclusive, more rooted, more real. For Onwuachi, this next chapter is a return to origins, and a way of bringing past and future into one place. 'Food is memory,' he said. 'It's how we remember who we are—and how we show the world what we can become.' Travelers descending on Las Vegas this year will undoubtedly find all the usual thrills, but at Sahara, they'll also find something soulful, ambitious, and long overdue. A seat at Maroon will be an invitation to experience a story told in fire, flavor, and freedom.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Erectile function improved in men given prostate cancer check
A technique to preserve nerves during prostate cancer surgery almost doubles the proportion of men who keep erectile function, according to a new study. Compared to standard surgery, researchers said the new method could dramatically improve men's quality of life. Experts from University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) led the study, which will be presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Madrid and published in the Lancet Oncology journal. It evaluated a method called NeuroSafe to preserve the nerves running through the prostate's outer layers, which are thought to be responsible for producing erections. During cancer surgery, the prostate is removed while the nerves are left intact. The prostate is then examined closely by a pathologist while the patient is still in surgery. The pathologist slices the area near to the nerves in 5mm strips, which are then quickly frozen and stained so they can be looked at through a microscope. The samples are analysed to see if any cancer cells are present. If there are none, the surgeons know that they can leave the patient's nerves intact in their body. If cancer is present, they know nerves will have to be removed. NeuroSafe happens in real-time during the operation, making it vastly different to traditional methods, where tissue samples are sent off and it takes two or three weeks to get results back. Professor Greg Shaw, trial lead from UCL and consultant urologist at UCLH, said some younger men in particular worry about surgery causing impotence and incontinence. He said: 'Our results show that, by using NeuroSafe, nearly twice as many men don't have to face potentially life-changing loss of erectile function after prostate surgery. 'It is an involved procedure that requires expertise, but it isn't expensive, particularly given the benefits it offers for patients, and most importantly doesn't jeopardise cancer control. 'NeuroSafe wouldn't be appropriate for all patients, as many can safely have nerve-sparing surgery using standard robotic techniques. 'But for younger patients and those who wouldn't normally be seen as eligible for nerve-sparing surgery, it offers them a greater chance to hold onto their quality of life.' Prof Shaw said the technology is not new but 'whereas before there wasn't evidence to support this approach, now we have the data to show that, actually, your outcomes are better'. Some 30% of the men in the study were from Afro Caribbean backgrounds. They tend to be diagnosed at a younger age with prostate cancer than white counterparts. The trial ran at five UK hospitals and included 344 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Half were randomised to receive NeuroSafe during their operation and half had standard surgery. Twelve months after surgery, 39% of men in the NeuroSafe group had no or mild erectile dysfunction. In those men who had standard surgery, this was 23%. A year after their operation, only 38% of those who had surgery using NeuroSafe had severe erectile dysfunction, compared to 56% of men who had standard surgery. NeuroSafe patients who recovered their urinary control also did so faster than patients who underwent standard surgery. Prof Shaw now hopes more men will be able to access NeuroSafe on the NHS as long as the right pathology support is available. He told the PA news agency: 'Whether it can be rolled out or not depends on, I think, finding a good test that gives a similar result (to the pathologist's work) that's perhaps more easily performed, because it's quite complex. 'But the impetus for the community is you're doubling the chances of a man being potent afterwards. And that's compelling.' Dr Ricardo Almeida-Magana, from UCL, said: 'NeuroSafe offers surgeons a real-time evaluation of the safety of the procedure. 'In standard robotic surgery, surgeons determine whether to choose nerve sparing based on MRI scans, on digital rectal examinations and on biopsy results prior to surgery. 'But whereas those methods can provide guidance, NeuroSafe provides certainty. 'And that opens up the option of nerve-sparing surgery for many more men, without compromising on the chances of controlling the cancer.'
